Opportunities for school leavers

Taupo Times, Volume 19, Issue 97, 15 December 1970, Page 7

Opportunities for school leavers

Pre-employment and trade training courses operated by the department offered wonderful opportunities to Maori school Ieavers, said Mr J. H. W. Barber, District Officer, Department of Maori and Island Affairs, Rotorua, in Taupo last week.

The pre - employment courses are based on Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington, and the trade training at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Selection of recruits for the respective sections in 1971 has been completed and, of 93 boy applicants 66 were accepted for trade training and 18 for pre-employ-ment vacancies. There were 31 recruits from the Taupo district, of which 20 will pursue trades, and seven pre-employment courses Four will study carpentry, two motor mechanics, three painting and paperhanging, two plastering- two auto motivation, three plumbing, two panel beating and one each the sheet me.tal and fitting and turning trades. Of 62 girl applicants selection offered opportunities to 32. One Taupo district girl will undertake a presecretarial course and two others will take pre-employ-ment studies. Entry in pre-employment courses is confined to boys and girls aged between 16 and 18 years, with a minimum of three years' secondary education, but who are below School Certificate standard. The courses, which last about four weeks, are specially designed to help with initial adjustment to city life and with the selection of suitable employment. Accommodation is provided at hostels and the department meets the cost of board and also fares from the students home. A small weekly allowance is paid to help towards living expenses until permanent employment is arranged. Classes commence early in January and finish in February. At the end of the course the students take up suitable employment in the city.

The present annual intake at the respective centres is: Wellington, 35 boys and 35 girls; Auckland, 20 of each; Hamilton, 15 girls. CIRCUMSTANCES Trade training applicants must be between 15 and 18 years of age, up to 20 under special circumstances, and at least two full years' secondary schooling must have been completed. Carpentry involves the first two years under departmental training receiving theoretical and practical preparation — most other trades incorporate only the first year

— followed by placement with a suitable employer for the remainder of the apprenticeship period. There is a choice of seven trades, and a special youth farm settlement scheme in Auckland enables five Maori boys each year to take up a career in dairy farming, a sixyear course. Girls must have a minimum of three years' post-primary education and four are trained in Wellington each year as shorthand typists for the New Zealand Public Service. The course lasts about 45 weeks and placement in Government departments as junior shorthand typists follows